Trip Report
Climbing with Significant others (Topic plus old trip report

by Karl Baba
Friday December 14, 2007 5:24pm
hey Folks

THere are a lot of issue with taking your significant other climbing. It can be a different story whether they are already a climber or not.

Here's a few old trip report on the subject from me but let's leave the topic open to everyone's thoughts and experiences

http://www.yosemiteclimber.com/Spousal_Abuse.html

http://www.yosemiteclimber.com/El_Cap_with_the_Marmot.html

Peace

Karl

  Trip Report Views: 564
Karl Baba 		About the Author
Karl Baba is a trad climber from Yosemite, Ca.

Comments
Did you like this Trip Report? Got something to say? Don't hold back...
Comment on this Trip Report
Aya K

Trad climber
New York
  Dec 14, 2007 - 05:36pm PT
I love climbing with my SO. We know each others stregths and weaknesses, when to be encouraging, when to laugh at each other, when to shut up and let each other vent and cry, and we always know when to be especially proud of each other for pulling off something challenging.

On the other hand, we don't live together, so sorting out our co-mingled gear for the ew times when we might go climbing without each other is always a bit of a hassle!
TradIsGood

Chalkless climber
the Gunks end of the country
  Dec 14, 2007 - 05:40pm PT
I liked the second story best!

Well told.

Roger and I climbed for five years before now ex-wife even came up to watch. To her credit, it was a two day trip.

Current S.O. first outdoor was at Red Rocks. She has been on some challenging stuff at the Gunks.

Maybe some day I post some pictures from Little Fingers above Lake George in the Adirondacks.

Meanwhile check out the winning pic in Ouch photoshop challenge for her picture.

Sorry I am not the accomplished story teller (or for that matter the climber) that you are.


edit: Aya welcome back. Where have you been? :-)
khanom

Trad climber
Greeley Hill
  Dec 14, 2007 - 05:59pm PT
I had read that TR previously and thought it was pretty interesting. I see the potential difficulties from the outsider's perspective all the time. It's fascinating and nerve-wracking to watch many couples climb together. Only a few I don't know well seem to have it dialed, and I suspect that might be an illusion.

In all honesty? I wish that more women would have the confidence not to be defensive about their climbing. I see so many guys take the lead (in both senses) all the time and women just acquiesce. Like they don't want to be on equal ground -- equally capable of being in control and having the knowledge and experience.

I can count the number of women I know who are like that on half a hand.
caughtinside

Social climber
Oakland, CA
  Dec 14, 2007 - 06:04pm PT
I have been fortunate in that I know some women who are good climbers and good leaders! They're some of my favorite, if infrequent climbing partners.

too bad for me they are someone elses SO, but that's life!
Rudyj2

Trad climber
UT
  Dec 14, 2007 - 06:16pm PT
Here is a TR about climbing with my significant other. I climb almost exclusivly with my SO and have for 12 years. We both were climbers before we met, although of different experience levels. Climbing El Cap was a long time dream for her, making it come true was a long time dream for me. Having it end the way it did was thoroughly dissapointing. But, just the other day she told me she wants to go back for El Cap again! The force is strong in this one!


http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=399793&msg=400683#msg400683
Wild Bill

climber
Ca
  Dec 17, 2007 - 06:57pm PT
Gotta check out those threads Karl. The SO climbing trip can be fraught with peril. But it sounds like there's some core folks for whom it works better than good.

The SO and I actually met through the climbing world, and have climbed a lot together over the years. At least, we did until we were graced with kiddies. We never had a bad epic together, and unlike the rest of the time, when she's climbing she's got ice in her viens at just the right moments. Worst episode was actually in the climbing gym, where she fell off a bouldery start, spun, and whacked her head on the wall. Those gyms are dangerous, I'm tellin' ya.
Big Kahuna

Ice climber
Hell Hardest climb I did was getting out of bed.
  Dec 17, 2007 - 08:47pm PT
My wife Kelle’ as always been rock solid She gave such good belay I had to marry her. She is always in the game. Best dam partner I could ask for.

Here is a pic of her after a 24 hr epic day on Mt Gilbert.



Here is a funny story I wrote many years ago when we ventured off route one day. It still makes me laugh every time I read it.

http://harter-climbing.aci.net/stories.html#Breakfast

She pulls her weight then some.
Ammon

Big Wall climber
Capo Beach
  Dec 17, 2007 - 11:00pm PT

One of my favorite wall ascents was with my girl, Cheryl. Also, longest time spent on El Cap, 11 days, we didn't want it to end and look forward to many more in the future.



More pics of this ascent at:

http://www.rocknclimb.com/jollyroger.html
Mike.

climber
  Dec 18, 2007 - 12:46pm PT
Re-re-re-re-re-run:

http://www.ousleycreative.com/honey.pdf
Big Kahuna

Ice climber
Hell Hardest climb I did was getting out of bed.
  Dec 18, 2007 - 05:23pm PT
Mike I loved your quote

"you can save your oppressive
“beta” and “helpful” suggestions
for some hopeless clod
who can’t solve problems.
The function of unsolicited
“beta” in most cases is to
inflate the ego of the beta
blower. Again, save it. We want
the chance to f*#k it up on
our own."
David Knopp

Trad climber
CA
  Dec 18, 2007 - 06:29pm PT
My s.o. and i have done our best climbs together-one summer we did Whitney E. Face, the arete on Muir, Venusian Blind,Lone Pine N. Ridge, and more. it sucks that now she has to work so much (post-doc, molecular biology) that we haven't climbed together for a year. My new main partner's cool, but...
Todd Gordon

Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
  Dec 18, 2007 - 08:12pm PT
I did about 800 climbs with my wife before all the babies came;.......all went well with no hassles or fights;.....it CAN be done;...with the right person.
khanom

Trad climber
Greeley Hill
  Dec 19, 2007 - 06:45am PT
It's rather nice to see that it can work well.

...with the right person.

I wonder if the health of the climbing partnership can be taken as an indicator of the how the rest of the relationship will work out.
72hw

Trad climber
Pasadena, CA
  Dec 19, 2007 - 09:01am PT
Maybe I'm lucky. I love climbing with my wife. We both understand that we enjoy different types of climbing and play off each others enjoyment. Not only do I trust her to catch me, to push through her own fears when the going gets rough and chill out shortly after a brain fry while dangling over a crux, I truly enjoy road tripping with her. Any friction that may come up quickly dissolves most of the time, and we both know when bailing would be the better part of valor. This holds true back at home too.

We've been married for 5 years, but we've known each other for more than 15. I guess you could say she was (and still is) my best friend first, and that may be the secret to our success.

Though we have yet to epic on some god-forsaken crag in the middle of a sh*t-storm, I am hard pressed to think of anyone else I would rather do it with!
DavisGunkie

Trad climber
Davis, CA
  Dec 19, 2007 - 10:13am PT
my main climbing parter was my wife for a while, but being at different ability levels i made sure i had a partner for days when i wanted to climb the "scary" routes or wanted to push myself. worked well when i actually knew people to get partners. since i moved out here, haven;t climbed as much since my wife was getting freaked out and had no energy for it. haven't been into climbing as much since.

i would just make sure you have other partners besides the SO
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
  Dec 19, 2007 - 10:23am PT


me and the "xo"
72hw

Trad climber
Pasadena, CA
  Dec 19, 2007 - 10:40am PT
I agree 100% about having solid partners other than the SO. I have 3 or 4 other people that I climb with regularly, and often the wife stays behind when the approach involves lots of grunting or the climbs require use of liberal profanity, tape and high tolerances for lactic acid buildup.
Did you like this Trip Report? Got something to say? Don't hold back...
Comment on this Trip Report
Go
Gear Finder
Go
Recent Trip Reports